Vision Integration Installs Martin Audio WPM in Mt. Hebron Church

Vision Integration of Mobile, Ala., is responsible for the audio upgrades at Mt. Hebron Church in Mobile, Ala. The company chose Martin Audio Wavefront Precision line arrays as part of an audio/video/lighting system renovation recently completed.

According to Vision Integration’s Gary Baria, “Mt. Hebron is in a traditional church setting with a 900-seat capacity and three services every Sunday. In fact, the church is growing so fast, they’re building a new facility with a 2500-seat capacity.

“They originally had an exploded cluster PA system that just wasn’t working for them. The pastor and praise team were looking at other systems but we recommended Martin Audio Wavefront Precision Mini line arrays. The WPM system had a nice clean look and exceptional intelligibility––something they didn’t have with the previous system––and gave their audio staff a system that sounds great without having to do a lot to it.”

The system for Mt. Hebron consists of eight flown WPM boxes a side with four CDD6 for front and side fills and two SX218 subs stacked on each side of the stage, all powered by iKON iK42 and iK81 amps. Four Martin Audio LE200 wedge monitors are used on stage.

The WPM system only needed a two-box resolution because, according to Gary, “that provided more than enough coverage, consistency and control for the sanctuary space, something which turned out to be a very cost-effective solution for the install.”

Typically, the church has modern worship services with a praise team consisting of two keyboard players, a guitarist, bass player, percussionist, and drummer with eight to 12 vocalists on wireless mics that alternates with a 30-piece choir.

As Gary points out, “The system had to be multifunctional and work for music reproduction and speech for the sermons as well as a special daycare service for kids with videos, and broadcast because the church also streams the services, all of which have been more than fulfilled with the WPM system.”

Rounding out the audio system are Allen & Heath D-Live consoles for FOH/Monitors and Broadcast. The video system includes a Panasonic 4K premium camcorder, three Panasonic 7200 Lumen DLP Laser projectors and a PTZ 12x Optical Zoom camera with a comprehensive Blizzard system for lighting.

Asked about his reaction to WPM, Gary concludes, “The audio quality is amazing. We got the system, hooked everything up and it sounded great from the get-go. We haven’t done any EQing since we turned it on and the coverage is excellent front to back and side to side with the CDD6’s for front fill and side fill. The church is just ecstatic about how the system sounds and the audio and is really pleased with the way everything turned out. In fact, we’re looking at a Martin Audio MLA Compact system for a larger church install we’re doing.”